Printing machine



in Sheets-Sheet 1 PRINTING MACHINE W. T. GOLLWITZER Original Filed July8, 1931 June 8, 1937. I

June 8, 1937.

w. T. GOLLWITZER PRINTING MACHINE Original Filed July 8, 193).

10 Sheets-Sheet 2 773MW Z 10 SheetS-xSheet 3 June 8, 1937. w. T.GOLLWITZER PRINTING MACHINE Original Filed July 8, 1931 June 8, 1937. w.T. GOLLWITZER PRINTING MACHINE Original Filed July 8, 1931 10Sheets-Sheet 4 June 8 1937. w. T. GOLLWITZER 2,083,061

PRINTING MACHINE I Original Filed July 8, 1931 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 June8,. 1937. w. T. GOLLWITZER PRINTING MACHINE Original Filed July 8, 1931'.I LO Sheets-Sheet 6 w. "r. GOLLWITZERY 2,083,061

PRINTING MACHINE 1o Sheets-Sheet '1 Original Filed July 8, 1931 June 8,1937.

w. T. GOLLWITZER 2,083,061

v PRINTING MACHINE Original Filed July 8, 1931 10 Sheets-Sheet 9 June8,1937. w. T. GOLLWITZER PRINTING MACHINE Original Filed July 8, 1931 10Sheets-Sheet 10 MINI nunnr vvvvvv vvvvvvvv Patented June 8, 1937 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE PRINTING MACHINE Application July 8, 1931, semi No.549,341 Renewed July 29. 1935 42 Claims.

This invention relates to printing machines of the kind whereinimpressions are made on sheets successively passed therethrough.

In machines of this kind the sheets are some- 5 times severed from-a webto be passed through the machine and a permanent form is printed thereonin the machine. Sometimes the permanent form is printed on the sheetsprior to introduction thereof into the machine. ,As the 10 sheets movethrough the machine other impressions, usually in the nature of namesand addresses, are made thereon from changeable printing devicessequentially passed through the machine. Usually impressions are made oneach 15 sheet from .a changeable printing device, and, when the sheetsare sectional, impressions are made from the printing device onto eachsection of the sheet. Sheets of this nature are used as ,bills by gas,electric and telephone companies and n the like, and they are also usedas notices or for other purposes by insurance companies and the like. Inaddition to the permanent form and the data adapted to be printed on thesheets from the changeable printing devices, other variable data isoften printed thereon, as. for example, quantities, prices andextensions thereof and the like. This variable data is related to dataadapted to be printed from the changeable printing devices.

An important object of my invention is to provide a novel printingmachine wherein data may be printed from changeable printing devices andwherein other variable data, related to the data printed from thechangeable printing devices, may also be printed onto sheets passedthrough the machine.

A further important object of the invention is to provide an apparatusto identify individual elements of one set of devices with individual Qelements of another set, supposed or intended to correspond therewith,and particularly to eflect such identification during a useful operationon or in connection with the elements of one set by appropriatemechanism.

45 Other objects include the provision of a machine arranged to comparerelates devices, such as sets of control cards and printing devicesdetermined by control devices so passed through the machine that therelation between the variable data and the data adapted to be printedfrom changeable printing devices may be. maintained.

Sometimes the variable data is arranged in groups and afurther object isto individually print the data of the various groups and to move thesheet into positions whereat this individual printing may be performed.

Other objects are to provide a mutable or settable printing. mechanismto print variable data; to so position the sheets that the impressionswill be made thereon at predetermined places; to operate the variousparts of the machine in definite timed relation; to effect a signal, asby interrupting the operation of the machine in the event of improperoperating conditions; and to provide a Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of themutable printing mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the control device moving and detectingmechanisms;

Fig. 5 is a. vertical sectional view of the mechanism illustrated inFig. 4;

Fig. 6 is-an elevation of the left hand end of the machine shown in Fig.1;

Fig. 7 is an elevation looking in at the right hand side of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8'-is a detail view of an operating mechanism and control therefor;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary plan view of the printing device detectingmechanism;

Fig. 10 is a front elevation of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is an end elevation of the mechanism illustrated in Figs. 9 and10;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary front elevation similar to Fig. 10 and showingthe mechanism in another position;

Fig. 13 is a detail view of the control device handling mechanism;

Fig. 14 is a schematic perspective view of the mutable printingmechanism;

Fig. 15 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the electrical connectionsused with the control device and printing device detecting mechanisms;and

Fig. 16 is an elevation of a typical sheet to be printed in the machine.

General arrangement (sheet feed and driving mechanism) In the selectedembodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, Ihave shown a novel printing machine of the kind wherein impressions aremade from changeable printing devices onto sheets moved through themachine. This printing machine may be, for example, one of the kinddisclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 497,439, filedNovember 22nd, 1930 (now Patent No. 2,002,772, issued May 28th, 1935),and it includes a table [8 on which impressions are made onto the sheetsS stored in a rack I mounted at one end of the machine frame H. Thesheets stored in the rack T are cut to size and have a permanent formprinted thereon.

Alternatively, the invention may be used with a printing machine of thekind disclosed in the application of Emmett C. Hartley, Serial No. 459,-599, filed June 6th, 1930, wherein the permanent form is printed onsheets that are severed from a web withdrawn from a roll of paper.

The sheets severed from the web, or withdrawn from the rack 'I' in themanner disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 497,440, filedNovember 22nd, 1930 (now Patent No. 2,002,773, issued May 28th, 1935),are moved onto endless conveyor belts.26, directed about pulleys 21 and2| mounted at opposite ends of the table i8 and also around guidingpulleys such as 29 carried by the brackets 30 on the frame H, to bemoved through the machine whereby impressions may be made thereon fromthe changeable printing devices and the mutable printing mechanism.

The disclosed machine includes a drive shaft ll journaled in the frameI! and having a flywheel driving pulley 20 rotatablv mounted thereon. Aclutch controlled by the lever 2| is used to connect the pulley 20 tothe shaft I! to thereby transmit power supplied to the pulley, from asuitable source, to the shaft l3. On the shaft is there is a bevel gear22meshing with a bevel gear 23 fast on the platen operating shaft 24which extends across the machine and which acts through a suitablemechanism to operate the platen P. A cam shaft 25 is provided and thiscam shaft and the conveyor belts 28 are driven from the shaft it in themanner described in my Patent 2,002,772, above mentioned.

The cam shaft 25 operates stop fingers F which engage the sheets 8carried by the belts 25 to orient the sheets in position below theplaten P whereby said platen may make impressions thereon through theusual ink ribbon from the changeable printing devices which are movedinto printing position relative to the platen.

Changeable printing devices; teed therefor The changeable printingdevices, which may be arranged as individual address printing members,(example at D, Figs. 2, 9, and 15), are introduced into a magazine M ina predetermined sequence and are withdrawn from the magazine and passedthrough printing position in a stepby-step manner, and when sectionalsheets'are being printed the printing devices are retained in printingposition until an impression it" been made therefrom onto each sectionof the sheet receiving impressions from this printing device. A typicalmeans for withdrawing such printing devices and for retaining them inprinting position is disclosed in my copending application, Serial No.497,438, filed November 22nd, 1930, (now Patent 2,002,771, issued May28th, 1935).

Example of work printed The sheet S is illustrated in detail in Fig. 16and embodies three sections onto each of which sections an impression Ris made from a printing device D, the impression R consisting, forexample, of a name and address and other pertinent data. A typicalchangeable printing device D is illustrated in Fig. 9, and consists of aframe 35 having a printing plate 36 "and a, card 31 on one face thereof.The printing plate is embossed to provide the printing characters formaking the impression R, and it should be noted that in addition to thetype characters for the impression R the printing plate has charactersembossed thereon which represent an account number N. This accountnumber is printed onto the sheet at a predetermined place as, forexample, in the middle section on the sheet S shown in Fig. 16.

In order that the account number N will be printed on the sheet only atselected places, the platen P is provided with a portion which may bereceded and the number N will only be printed when the portions of bothsections of the platen are aligned. One form of receding platen andmeans for controlling the same are illustrated in my Patent 2,002,772,and this form may be used herein, the cam shaft 25 carrying, when thisform of receding platen is used, a suitable cam for controlling theplaten.

The platen shaft 24 makes one complete revolution for each section ofthe sheet to be printed but the cam shaft 25 makes but one revolutionduring the printing of a sheet, this'ratio of operation between theseshafts being determined by suitable gearing.

Mutable printing mechanism The conveyor belts 26 move the sheet into amutable printing mechanism wherein variable data is printed on the sheetafter the sheet has been properly printed by the platen P. The mutableprinting mechanism is adapted to print data related to the impressionsmade from the changeable printing devices.

Control and identification devices The operation of the mutable printingmechanism is determined by the conjoint action of main .control devicesand cooperating control devices,

the latter being carried on the changeable printing devices.

The main control devices C, Fig. 1a, are introduced into a magazine A inthe same sequence as the sequence of the printing devices intro- I 34,located at the stage W.

I Control device C The control device C may be in the nature of a cardof a non-conductive material and has a lineation thereon with whichsuitable identifying indicia is associated. The control device isperforated at predetermined places in the lineation relative to theindicia and means cooperating with these perforations determinethefunctioning of the printing mechanism.

In Fig. 1a it may be seen that associated with a portion of thelineation is the indicia, Street number and House number. made in thelineation relative to this indicia designate the account number of thecontrol device .and the account number on the control device is the sameas the account number on the printing device to which the particularcontrol device is related; as for example, the printing device Dillustrated in Fig. 9 bears the account number "HO-1260 and the controldevice C illustrated in Fig. 1a is perforated in association with theindicia, "Street number and House number tohave the same account number.

The control device C having said-account number is used to set up themutable printing mechanism to print the variable data on the sheet whichreceived impressions from the changeable printing device bearing thecorresponding account number, which account number, incidentally, isimprinted on the sheet by the receding portion of the platen P.

Identification of control and changeable printingdevices To ascertainwhether or not the sequence of the control devices corresponds to thesequence of the changeable printing devices so that the interrelationthereof will be insured, a detecting means, now to be described, andacting on indicia of both the control devices and printing devices, isprovided in the machine.

The printing devices D are withdrawn from the magazine M and are passedthrough four stages, W, X, Y, and Z, (Fig. 2), the stage Z beingprinting position in the machine while the stage W is the oneimmediately in front of the magazine M. Since the machine is providedwith four stages for the printing devices D, it is necessary to providefour stages for the control devices. The stages W, X, Y, and Z for theprinting devices are provided in the printing device guideway and thecorresponding stages for the control devices, indicated by W, X, Y, andZ, (Fig. 5) are provided about the periphery of a drum 34.

Feeding of control devices C (drive, etc.)

A slide 3i is mounted for reciprocation below the magazine A andincludes a shoulder 32 of slightly less height than the thickness of oneof the control devices. Reciprocatory movement is imparted to thisslide, and when it is moved toward the left, as viewed in Fig. 4, acontrol device is moved from the magazine A into a pocket 33 (Figs. 4and 5) in the periphery of the drum The control device thus moved intothe stage W should bear an account number e. g. corresponding to theaccount number e. g. on the printing device in the stage W, anddetecting means act on these devices to determine whether or not theaccount numbers e. g. do correspond.

If the account number on the control device C should differ from theaccount number on the printing device, operation of the illustrated ma-The perforations chine is interrupted to permit the operator toascertain the reason for the discrepancy .and to permit correction.

The mutable printing mechanism and thedrum 34 are operated from a sourceof power independent of that operating the platen P and alliedmechanisms, and this independent source of power includes a motor 33(Fig. 3) mounted at the rear of the machine and adapted to be connectedto a shaft 33 (Fig. 8) through a jaw clutch 40. On the shaft 39 there isa worm gear 4' meshing with a worm wheel 42 fast on the shaft 43journalled in bearings 44 (Fig. 3) provided in the frame of the machine.Fast on the shaft 43 is a miter gear 45 (Fig. 2) meshing with a mitergear '46 fast on the shaft 41 journalled in bearings 43 carried by theframe of the machine. The drum 34 is fast on a shaft 43 journalled inbearings 43 and secured to this shaft at one end of the drum isa.circular ratchet (Figs. 4 and 6). shaft 43 is a rocker5l carrying apawl 52 yieldingly urged, by a spring 53, into engagement with the teethof the ratchet 50. One end of a link 54 (Fig. 4) is pivotally mountedbetween two crank discs 55 (Figs. 4 and 6) fast to adjacent ends ofindependent sections of shaft 41. The discs are connected by the crankpin 56 on which the link 54 is pivoted. The crank discs 55 rotate withthe shaft 41 and impart a reciprocatory movement to the link 54 to pivotrocker 5| about shaft 49 whereby pawl 52 will successively engage teethin the ratchet50, said pawl seating in one of said teeth to move saidratchet during counterclockwise movement of the rocker 5i, as viewed inFig. 4, and freely riding on the periphery of the ratchet duringclockwise movement of said rocker.

Thus, a step-by-step movement is imparted to the drum shaft 49 and drum34 and in this manner the pockets 33 in the periphery of the drum aresuccessively moved through the stages W, X, Y, and Z. The frame of themachine extends between one end of the drum and the ratchet 50.Pivotally mounted at 5| (Fig. 4) on this frame is a pawl 52, urged intoengagement with the teeth of the ratchet 50 by a spring 53, and thispawl 52' prevents retroactive movement of the ratchet and the drum.

The slide 3| is synchronically operated with the drum 34 from a rocker51 (Figs. 4 a d 5)- pivotally mounted on shaft 53 carried by the-frame.On arm 53 of this rocker is a roller 60 riding on the peripheral cam 61fast on shaft 41. Links 63 are pivotally connected to arms 62 on rocker51 and to ears 64 depending from the slide 3|. The slide.3l and the drum34 are so timed that'the leading edge of a control device moved by theslide 3| will engage the leading end of a pocket 33, these pockets beingdefined between adjacent sets of spaced abutments 65 (Fig. 13).

At a tangential; point on the drum 34, in substantial horizontalalignment with the line of .movement of the control device, as caused bythe slide 3|, a plurality of rollers 66 are mounted on a shaft 66.'I'he'rollers are spaced along the shaft so that the abutments 65 maypass therebetween. Immediately after the leading edge of a controldevice engages the abutments 65 at, the leading end of a pocket 33, thecontrol device is clamped onto the periphery of the drum 34 by therollers 66 and will thereafter move with said drum, as a drop on the cam6i will at this time permit the spring 61 (Fig. 5) to retract the slide3|. The control device will move with the drum 34 until it is in aposition substantially similar Mounted for movement about the.

to that shown in Fig. 5, to rest.

Detecting (control and printing device comparismt) On the next cycle ofoperation of the machine, suitable detecting means not on the controldevice so moved from the magazine A to W, and the printing device in thestage W to ascertain whether or not the indicia on the respectivedevices correspond. The detecting means cooperating with the controldevice just moved from the magazine into the stage W comprise aninsulating block 88 (Fig. carrying a plurality of brushes 69 alignedwith that portion of the control device bearing the perforations for theaccount number. When the drum 84 starts to move, as caused bycounter-clockwise operation of the rocker 5|, as viewed in Fig. 4, thecontrol device in the stage W will pass below the brushes 69 into thestage X. At this same time, (see Figs. to 12), detecting meanscooperating with indicia associated with the printing device in thestage W will move over the card 31 on the printing device, which, in theexample shown, bears the printing device indicia.

Detecting means of printing devices A lineation is provided on the card31 corresponding to the lineation associated with the indicia Streetnumber and House number on the control device. The perforations will beprovided in this lineation corresponding to the account number on theprinting device, and the detecting means at the stage W cooperates withthese perforations as it traverses the card 81.

The detecting means at the stage W includes an insulating block 10(Figs. 10 to 12, inclusive) carrying a plurality of brushes H. The "atrest position of the detecting means including the block 18 isillustrated in Fig. 10 and the parts are in this position at the timethe drum 34 is in its at rest position, and the detecting means and thedrum are moved in synchronism from their at rest positions. The block 10is carried by an arm 12 pivotally mounted on a frame 18 slidable on rods14 carried by the frame of the machine. One end of a link 15 (Fig. 2) isconnected to the frame 13 and a rack 16 is provided at the other end ofthe link and meshes with a gear segment 11 (Fig. 4) that is part of therocker ii, a guide 18 being provided to insure proper movement of therack 16.

The pitch line of the gear segment I1 is aligned with the periphery ofthe drum 84 and therefore the speed of movement of the rack will besynchronlc with the circumferential speed of the drum 34. Thus, as therocker 5| moves, the drum whereat the parts come 34 and the rack 16 andlink 15 will move in synchronism and consequently the control devicewill move from the stage W into the stage X past the brushes 89 insynchronism with the movement of the brushes 1| across the card 81 onthe printing device in the stage W, this movement of the brushes 1|taking place during the counter-clockwise movement of the rocker ll.-

, current.

thereof into the position illustrated in Fig. 10. When the arm 12engages the screw 82, the latch 19 latches the arm 8| and the brushes iiare held in an elevated position whereby as the parts move into theposition illustrated in Fig. 12, the brushes H will be held clear of thecard 31 and, as the frame 13 approaches the position illustrated in Fig.12, the tall 83 on the latch 19 engages the adjusting screw 84 to pivotthe latch 19 from engagement with the arm 8| to thus release the brushesll so that when the frame 13 is again moved toward the positionillustrated in Fig. 10, these brushes will be in position to traversethe card 31.

Detector circuit (and electrical apparatus) In Fig. 15 it is shown thatconductors 85 separately extend between the respective brushes 69 and TIand thatthe winding 86 (Fig. 6) of a relay is connected in each of theseconductors. The printing device D in the stage W is completely insulatedfrom theframe of the machine and mounted therebelow is a contact plate81 (Fig. 12) to which a conductor 88 is connected, and this conductor isconnected to one line of a source of electric current. The drum 34 ismade of insulating material and at the bottom of each of the pockets 33there is a conductive contact plate 89. As best illustrated in Figs. 5and 14, a spring contact 90 is mounted on the frame at one end of thedrum 84 to be engageable with the contact plates 89 in the stage W. Thecontact 90 is carried by and insulated from the frame of the machine. Aconductor 9| connects the conductor 90 to the other line of the sourceof electric current.

As the control devices C move past the brushes 69 and as the brushes 1|synchronically move over the card 31 and if the control device and cardare similarly perforated, the brushes will simultaneously pass throughperforations in the control device and card. Whenever a brush 6! and acorresponding brush H move through perforations, a circuit will beclosed to the relay 88 in the conductor 85 interconnecting thecorresponding brushes, the control devices and cards 31 being ofinsulating material and therefore preventing the closing of the circuituntil the brushes pass through openings.

Referring to Fig. 6, each relay 86 includes an armature 92, pivotallymounted in the frame 98 carried by the frame of the machine. Eacharmature includes a depending leg 94 of insulating material carrying anadjustable screw 95 having a conductor 96 connected thereto. Wheneverthe armature 92 of a relay is in its unattracted position, shown in Fig.6, the screw 95 engages a spring contact 91 having conductor 98connected thereto. When, however, a relay 88 is energized the armature92 thereof is attracted and latched in the pawl 99, normally urgedtoward the armature by the spring I00. When an armature is so attractedthe circuit between the screw 95 and the contact 91 associated therewithis opened.

Referring now to the electrical diagram, Fig. 15. each of the conductors98 is shown as connected to a conductor Ill, and each of the conductors98 to a conductor I02. The conductor llll is connected to one terminalof a suitable source of The conductor I02 is connected to one end of thewinding of an electro-magnet I08. A conductor I84 is connected to theother end of the winding of the electro-magnet and to the other terminalof the source of current.

step-by-step manner with the drum into the va- I Timing switch and relayoperation In the conductor IN is a timing switch I05 (Figs. 6 and 15),which is controlled by acam on the cam shaft 20. The armature I06 of theelectro-magnet I is connected to the clutch controllever 2| (Figs. 1 and15) When the 'control device C passing below the brushes 69 isperforated to correspond to the card 31 traversed by the brushes II, allof the relays 80 will be energized and each of the armatures 92 will beattracted and consequently each of the screws .95 will be disconnectedfrom the spring contacts 91 and therefore circuit between the conductorsIIH and I02 will be opened. Thus, when the cam shaft 25 operates toclose the timing switch I05, the electro-magnet I03 will not beenergized and the armature I06 thereof will not move the arm 2| todisconnect the clutch. However, should either or both of correspondingbrushes 69 and II fail to simultaneously move through perforations,circuit to the relay 06 in the conductor 85 connecting thesecorresponding brushes will not be closed and consequently the armature92 thereof will not be attracted and therefore the contacts 05 and 91will not be separated and circuit between the conductors IM and I02 willbe closed.

From'the above it is apparent that when the timing switch I05 is closed,the electro-magnet I03, Figs. 1 and 15, will be energized and thearmature I06 will be attracted and the lever 2| will be operated andconsequently the clutch controlled thereby will disconnect the pulley 20from the shaft I9 and operation of the machine will be interrupted.Manifestly, this will occur when the account numbers on the control andprinting devices do not correspond and since operation of the machinewill be interrupted the operator will thus be signalled and mayascertain the nature of the discrepancy between the control and printingdevices and may make the necessary correction.

It is within the purview of my invention to provide suitable indicatingmeans which may be operated from the relays 06 to inform the operatorprecisely where the discrepancy occurred to facilitate location of thetrouble.

Summary of comparison The foregoing detecting operation is performed oneach of the printingdevices D moving into the stage W and each of thecontrol devices C moving into the stage W and therefore operativesimilarity between these devices may be insured so that thecorresponding devices will move through the machine in definite relationto each other. It follows that the impressions from the mutable printingmechanism will be made onto sheets receiving impressions from thechangeable printing device corresponding to the control devicedetermining the set-up of the mutable printing mechanism.

Mutable printing mechanism control As the control device C moves fromthe stage W into the stage X it passes below a set of rollers 61' whichare spaced similarly to the spacing of the rollers 06 to permit theabutments 00 to pass therebetween. The rollers 61 serve to retain thecontrol device in the stage X on the periphery of the drum and at spacedintervals about the periphery of the drum there are other sets ofrollers 60 which are similar to the rollers GI and 06, and these sets ofrollers serve to retain the control devices in the pockets on the drum34 as these control devices are moved in a rious stages. The varioussets of rollers, spaced about the periphery of the drum between thetangential position whereat the control device moved by the slide 3|engages the drum and discharge position, have pinions (Figs. 4 and 13)fast on the shafts carrying said rollers. These pinions mesh with a gearfast to one end of the drum 34. The shafts for these rollers are carriedin slots in the machine frame and springs II (Fig. 4) act on theseshafts to urge the rollers toward the periphery of the drum whereby thecontrol devices will be securely clamped in position, suitableadjustments being provided by varying the tensions of said springs.

The movement of the control devices past the brushes 69 does not affectthe mutable printing mechanism as these brushes merely serve todetermine whether or not the control device corresponds to the printingdevice to which it is related. It has been stated, however, that anobject of the invention is to print variable data on the sheets relatedto the impressions made on the sheets from the changeable printingdevices.

Typical work In Fig. 16, wherein'a typical sheet to be printed isillustrated, the variable data is printed in two Duplex character ofmutable printingmechanism In the illustrated embodiment of theinvention, the impressions in the row J are printed in a printing coupleE (Fig. 1) and the impressions in the row K are printed on the sheet ina printing couple F (Fig. 1') disposed in the machine in horizontalalignment with the printing couple E. If additional rows were to beprinted;

additional printing couples would be provlded. Each of these printingcouples includes mutable printing devices controlled by the controldevices C. In addltion to the mutable printing devices, each of theseprinting couples includes a platen P which makes'impressions onto thesheets through a suitable ink ribbon, it of course being understood thatinking means other than an ink ribbon might be employed withoutdeparting from the ambit of my invention.

Platen operation (mutable printing mechanism) The platen P for theprinting couple E has two sections I01 and I00 which are independentlymounted to facilitate adjustment thereof to insure that uniformimpressions will be made thereby. The platen sections I01 and I00 aremounted on a rocker I09 which embodies arms IIO (Fig. 6) pivotallymounted on the frame of the machine. Springs III act on the rocker armsIIO to urge the rocker into an upper position to support the platen P inspaced relation with the printing devices with which it cooperates. Aroller II2 on each of the arms H0 is engageable with a cooperating camH3 fast on the shaft II 4 journalled in the frame of the machine andhaving a gear II5 thereon meshing with a gear IIS on the platenoperating shaft 24. The ratio between these gears corresponds to thenumber of sections on the sheets to be printed and in the presentinstance the ratio is three to one so that the shaft II4 will make butone complete revolution while the platen operating shaft 24 is makingthree complete revolutions, and therefore the platen P will be operatedbut once while the platen P is operated three times. A rise III (Fig. 6)on each of the cams II3 engages the roller I I2 cooperating therewith toforce the arms H0 downwardly to cause the platen to descend to perform aprinting operation.

Character selection (printing couple E) The printing devices in theprinting couple E consist of a plurality of elongated type bars I38(Fig. 14) having the integers zero to nine aligned on. the upper facethereof, these integers being in the form of type characters. These typebars are positioned substantially side-by-side longitudinally of themachine in position so that impressions will be made therefrom atdesired places on the sheet positioned relative thereto by theengagement of the leading edge of the sheet, which will be carried bythe conveyor belts it, and positioned by one of a series of stop fingersF operated by the cam shaft 25. Castings iii) and I (Fig. 6) provideguides and support type bars I I8 for movement in a horizontal plane.Each of the type bars is acted. on by a spring i2i (Fig. 14) extendingbetween a spring anchor E; on the type bar and a spring anchor I23 onthe rod I24 carried by the arms I25 (Fig. 6) fast to the shaft I25journalled in the frame of the machine. An arm I25 is provided adjacenteach end oi the printing couple E and unitary with each of these arms isan arm I27 having a roller I28 at the free end thereof engageable with aperipheral cam I29 fast on the shaft 43. As the shaft 43 rotates, thecams I29 act on the rollers I28 to impart movement to the arms I21 andI25 so that the rod I24 will move toward the right, as viewed in Fig. 6,which is toward the front of the machine. The ends of the various typebars are urged toward the rod I24 by the springs connected thereto andunless otherwise prevented the ends 0! these type bars engage said rodthroughout the movement thereof. When the rod moves toward the front ofthe machine, the type bars will move therewith, and when the rod attainsits forwardinost position all of the type bars will be engaging the rodwith the respective integers on each of the type bars aligned withcorresponding integers of the other of the type bars. Immediately afterthe rod I24 attains forwardmost position, the cam I29 so acts that therod I 24 will start to move rearwardly, and this movement is continueduntil the rod I24 attains its rearwardmost position. A reciprocatorymovement is thus imparted to the rod I24 and the type bars and the typecharacters on these type bars move through printing position below theplaten P during this reciprocatory movement.

During said forward movement of the rod I24 the various type bars aremoved into forward position to insure alignment of the integers on therespective bars. During rearward movement of these type bars meansoperate to stop the selected type character in printing position.

Type bar latching (mutabie printing mechanism) On each of the type barsis a series of ratchet teeth I30 spaced correspondingly to the spacingof the type characters and preferably there are as many teeth I30 oneach bar as there r e type characters. Associated with each type bar isa pawl I3I pivotally mounted at I32 and including a tail I33 having oneend of a spring I34 connected thereto, the other end of this springbeing secured to a latch arm I35 pivotally mounted at I35. The springI34 acts diflerentially and tends to pivot the pawl I3I upwardly and atthe same time urges the latch arm toward the end of the pawl. The springI34 acts on the pawl I3I to hold the nose I38 of the pawl in the notchI31 in the latch arm I35 to thereby hold the pawl I3I out of engagementwith the teeth I30. The latch arm I35 is unitary with an arm 35 having alink I40 connected thereto, which limit is likewise connected to thearmature ill of an electromagnet I42.

When the electro-magnet I42 is energized, the armature MI is attractedand movement is imparted through the link I40 to the arm I35 to therebyso pivot the latch arm that the notch I31 is disengaged from theshoulder I38, whereupon the spring I34 pivots the pawl I3i upwardly intoengagement with one of the teeth 33 to thereby interrupt furthermovement of the type bar so engaged to thereby position a determined ofthe type characters in printing position below the platen P. The rod I24will continue to move with the arms H5, and the spring or" the arrestedtype bar will be elongated. it. pawl capable of being so operated isassociated with. each of the type bars and therefore any one oi the typecharacters on these type bars may be stopped and retained in printingposition by causing the pawl I3I to engage the ratchet teeth at the timethe desired type character is in print-- ing position.

Type bar release Extending between the arms I25 is a rod IZ i (Fig. 6)and as the arms I25 and rod i2 1 move forwardly this rod I24 engages theadjustable screws 99 at the upper end of pawls S3 to thereby unlatch thearmatures 92 so that the contacts 35 and 91' will be reengaged.

Electrical control of type bar setting After a control device has movedthrough the stages W, X, and Y, into the stage Z, it is in position tocontrol the type bars I I8 of the printing couple E whereby thisprinting couple may be arranged to print the proper variable data on asheet which received impressions from the changeable printing devicethat has moved from the stage W through the stages X and Y into thestage Z whereat impressions were made on the sheet from this printingdevice by the platen P. The control device in the stage Z, which is todetermine the set-up of the type bars to make impressions on the sheetnext to move into the printing couple E, is the control device which wasin the stage W at the time the changeable printing device from whichimpressions were made on the sheet was in the stage W.

In order that the proper type characters on the type bars will bestopped in printing position, the control device in the stage Z movespast a set of detector brushes I43, carried by the insulating block I44,simultaneously with the rearward movement of the rod I24.

The lineation on the control device C is such that the integersassociated therewith are in the same sequence as the sequence of thetype characters on the type bars so that perforations made at determinedpoints in the lineation will cause a corresponding type character to bestopped in printing position.

It has been pointed out that a plate of conductive material underlieseach of the controldevices in the pockets 33. A brush contact I45 (Fig.engages the plate 89 in the stage Z. The brush contact I45 is connectedto a suitable source of electric current and one end of the winding ofeach of the electro-magnets I42 is connected to the other side of thesource of current. Each of the brushes I43 may be respectively connectedto one end of the winding of one of the electro-magnets I42 whereby eachbrush I43 will control an electro-magnet I42.

It may be noted that the same brush may be connected to two or moreelectro-magnets when similar impressions are to be made at spaced placesin one of the groups, this being shown in Fig. 16, for as thereillustrated some numbers are twice printed in the row J As the controldevice moves from the stage Z past the brushes I43, circuit will beclosed to the various electro-magnets as the brushes I43 pass throughperforations in the control device. The perforation in the controldevice will move into alignment with the brush I43 at the time thedesired type character on the type bar associated with theelectro-magnet I42 controlled by this brush'moves into printingposition, and there-- fore as this brush moves through a perforation,the pawl I3I will seat in the tooth I30 aligned therewith to retain thistype character-in printing position. In this manner the various typebars in the printing couple E will be so positioned that the typecharacters for printing the data in the row J will be aligned with theplaten P of the printing couple E.

It should be noticed that certain of the brushes I43 traverse thatportion of the control device perforated to determine the account numberwhereby certain of the type bars III! will be positioned to print thisaccount number N, and these type bars are so disposed that the accountnumberprinted from the type bars II8 will be printed on a section of thesheet other than that having the account number printed thereon by thereceding portion of the platen P, which cooperates with the changeableprinting devices D.

The platen P of the printing couple E descends and prints the data inthe row J on the sheet and immediately thereafter the rod I24 starts tomove toward the right, as viewed in Fig. 6,

or 9, and picks up the various type bars and Printing couple F Thecontrol device which previously positioned the type bars H8 of thecouple E will now move past the brushes I41 carried by the insulatingblock I 48, and in moving past these brushes this control device willdetermine the position of the type bars in the printing couple F. Thiscorresponds to the printing couple E in construction and operation,whereby an impression may be made from the type characters on these typebars onto the sheet in the row Kby the platen P of said printing coupleF; said sheet being stopped in printing position relative to said platenP by one of the stop fingers F operated from the cam shaft 25.

Sheet positioning (continued? The impressions in the row K are out ofiongitudinal alignment with impressions in the row.J and to permit theprinting of the data in these rows I arrange the printing position inthe printing couple F out of longitudinal alignment with the printingposition in the printing couple E and therefore the sheet may movethrough the machine in a straight line. However, if desired, the sheetmay be moved at an angle to this straight line movement to permit theprinting of the row K out of longitudinal align- .ment with the row J,and this may be done by providing meansfor jogging the sheet such asthat disclosed in the application of Franklin Edwin Curtis, Serial No.454,595, filed May 22nd, 1930, now Patent No. 1,941,663, patentedJanuary 2nd, 1934.

The stop fingers, which position the sheets relative to the variousplatens, are retracted immediately after the desired printing operationshave been performed to permit the sheet to move along with the conveyorbelts 26 into position relative to the next printing couple, and afterthe last impression has been made on the sheet by the last of theprinting couplesthe sheet is discharged into a suitable collector.

Mutable printing mechanism drive (timing operation) The mutable printingdevices ofthe printing couples E and F and the drum 34 are operated froman independent source of power consisting of the motor 33. 1

It is necessary that the operation of the mutable printing mechanisms bein timed relation with the operation of the platen P and alliedmechanisms and therefore I control the operation of the mechanismsoperated by the motor 38 by a cam 38' (Fig. 8) on the cam shaft 25.

The cam 38' has a shoulder 39 thereonwhich v may seat in the notch 40'inthe link H to move this link toward the left, as viewed in Fig. 8,whereby the latch arm 42' will be turned in a counter-clockwisedirection about the pivotal mounting 43 to thereby disengage theshoulder 44' from the lug 45'. On the arm 48 is a spring 41' normallyholding the shoulder in engagement with the lug. A spring 50 extendsbetween a spring anchor'on. the frame and an arm 48 pivotally mounted at49. When the shoulder 44 disengages the lug 45, the spring 50' pivotsarm 48' to cause thefork 5| riding in the grooved collar of one portionof the jaw clutch 40, to move this collar to engage said jaw clutch. Thefork carries a depending lug 52 and when it is moved, as just described,an adjustment screw 53 carried by this lug closes this switch 54 tothereby set the motor 38 in operation.

A roller 25" on the arm 45' is spring-urged into engagement with a cam24" on the shaft 43 and after the jaw clutch is engaged this cam allowsthe arm 46' to move downwardly to reengage the lug 45' on theshoulder'44'. Further rotation of the cam then causes the parts toassume their initial positions with the clutch disengaged and the switch54' opened.

Since the inertia of the motor will not be imparted to the various partsoperated therefrom by reason of the disengagement of the clutch, theseparts will always stop in substantially the serves same position fromwhich they may be again moved when the clutch is reengaged.

General operation (preparation) The operation of the machine is asfollows: A plurality of sheets having a permanent form printed thereonare introduced into the rack T, Fig. l, or when a machine similar tothat shown in the referred to Hartley application is to be employed, aweb will be arranged so that sheets may be severed therefrom.

Printing devices are introduced into the magazine M and control devices,supposedly arranged in the same sequence as the printing devices, areintroduced into the magazine A. The machine is then arranged so thatthere will be a printing device in each of the printing stages Z, Y, Xand W, Fig. 2, and so that there will be a control device in each of thestages Y, X, and W, Fig. A sheet will be positioned on the conveyorbelts 26 in engagement with the first stop finger farthest to the right,Fig. 1, which to orient the first section of the sheet relative to theplaten P.

Actuation Sheet and positioning The cam shaft and the conveyor belts 2Ewill also be set in operation and during the time the platen P isascending after having made the impression on the first section of thesheet a cam on the shaft will retract the first stop finger F and willmove the second stop finger into stopping position and as soon as thefirst stop finger is disengaged from the leading edge of the sheet, thesheet will be carried by the conveyor belt into engagement with thesecond of the stop fingers to be oriented thereby relative to the platenP to receive an impression on the second section thereof. This operationwill be carried out until each of the stop fingers has so oriented thesheet that an impression will be made on each section thereof, whereuponthe sheet will move into engagement with the stop finger F (shownbetween couples E and P, Fig. 1) that orients the sheet relative to theplaten P in the printing couple E.

Actuation of mutable printer and control card feed Immediately after theplaten P has made the first impression on the sheet from the printingdevice D in stage Z the cam shaft will move the cam 38', Fig. 8, intosuch a position that the shoulder 39' thereon will seat in the notch 40to set the motor 38 in operation and engage the jaw clutch 40 wherebythe shaft 43 will be rotated, and this movement will be transmittedthrough the miter gears 45 and 46 to the shaft 41 to rotate the crankdiscs 55.

The movement imparted to the crank discs is transmitted through the link5 to the rocker 5| and the initial movement of the link moves the rockerin a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 4, to withdraw the pawl 52from engagement with one of the teeth in the ratchet 50 to seat it inthe succeeding tooth. Immediately after this pawl is seated in thissucceeding tooth, the crank discs aosaoez will have rotated into such aposition that movement will be imparted to the rocker 5! in acounter-clockwise direction, and, by reason or the engagement of thepawl 52 in a tooth of the ratchet 50, the drum 34 will be rotated in acounter-clockwise direction.

As the drum N rotates, the card in the stage W will move ast the brushesB9 and the slide 3i will be so ope? atecl that it will move the leadingedge of a control device C into position below the roller wherebyanother control device will be located in the stage W to succeed thecontrol device which has been in the stage W and which now will belocated in the stage )1.

Detecting (identification or comparison) At the time the rocker 5i movesin a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 4, the frame 13 willbe so moved that the brushes "M will pass across the card 3! on theprinting device in the stage W, and as the drum will be rotating at thistime it is manifest that a control device C will be traversing thebrushes G9 in synchronism with the traversing of the card 31' by thebrushes ll.

Results of comparison If the control device the card on the printingdevice are per. "bed correspondingly, circuit to the electro-mall ill;will not be closed at the time the switch lit is closed by the operationof. the cam shaft 25. If, however, the control device and the card donot correspond, the magnet m3 will be energized the time the time switch15 is closed and operation of the machine will be interrupted. The timeswitch Hi5 is operated substantially at the time the drum it reaches theend of its movement in a counter-clockwise direction, which carries acard C from one stage to another.

Setting mutable printers As the drum 31 rotates in the above describedmanner, the control card which has been in the stage Z moves past thebrushes 3 to thereby position the type bars in the printing couple E.

Printing devices D; feed and printing At the time the platen P isascending after having made the last impression R on the sheetpositioned therebelow, the printing device feed mechanism will berendered operative, and the printing device which has been in the stageZ will be moved therefrom and the printing device that has been in thestage Y will be moved into the stage Z, and the sheet will move from theprinting couple, including the platen P, into the printing couple E tobe positioned below the platen P'.

Printing at Couple E As the platen P descends to make the firstimpression on the sheet immediately behind that which has moved into theprinting couple E, the rises on the cams H3 will engage the rollers H2to cause the platen P to descend, whereby the impressions in the row Jwill be made on the sheet. This operation of the platen P is very rapidand immediately after the platen has ascended sumciently to disengagethe sheet the rod I24 starts to move forwardly to engage the type barsof the printing couple E, and at the time the rod I attains itsforwardmost position and starts to move rearwardly, the rocker 5! willstart to move in a counter-clockwise direction. and the drum M willagain be rotated and the control device which moved past the brushes Iduring the previous'movement of the drum 34 will move past the brushesI" to position the type bars in the printing couple F. Manifestly, atthis time the control device which has been in the stage Z will movepast the brushes I43 and the control device which has been in the stageW will move past the brushes 69 to operate as previously described.

Printing at couple F After the platen P has made the last impression onthe sheet associated therewith, the last of the stop fingers F fororienting the sheet relative to the platen P will be retracted and thissheet will move into the printing couple E, and the sheet which has beenin the printing couple E will be moved with the conveyor belts 26 toengage the stop finger which positions the same relative to the platen Pof the printing couple F.

Simultaneous printing (on D and at E and F) At the time the platen P isdescending to make an impression R on the sheet now disposed in positiontherebelow, the platens P of the printing couples E and F will descendto make impressions on the sheets positioned therebelow, the platen -P'of the printing couple F making the impression in the row K on the sheetwhich previously received impressions in the row J in the printingcouple E.

If there are additional printing couples in the machine, the sheet justreceiving impressions in the row K will move into the succeedingprinting couple on the next cycle of operation of the machine, and thesheets will so move through successive printing couples until all thedesired impressions will have been made thereon whereupon the sheetswill pass from the machine into a suitable collector.

Printed comparison index, etc.

The sheets receive impressions R on each section thereof during movementthrough the machine and in addition the account number N is printed fromthe changeable printing devices at a desired place or places on thesheets. This account number is also printed on the sheets in one of theprinting couples embodying mutable 5o printing devices, whereby it maybe easily ascerdetermine, in the machine, whether or not correspondingprinting devices and control devices are located relative to each other.Moreover, the sheets may be completely printed during passage thereofthrough the machine for not only names and addresses may be printedthereon but mutable printing devices may be employed to printquantities, prices, and extensions thereof, or any other desired data.Thus, completely printed sheets will be delivered into the collector atthe discharge end of the machine.

It is to be understood that the mutable printing device may be employedto print any desired information, and while I have shown the typebearing elements of these printing devices as having numerals thereon,the letters of the alphabet or any other desired printing characters maybe provided. Furthermore, the machine may be used to print sheets havingone, two or any number of sections.

While I have illustrated and described a selected embodiment of myinvention it is to be understood that this is capable of variation andmodification and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precisedetails set forth, but desire to avail myself of such changes andalterations as fall within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a printing machine, printing means for making an impression on asheet, a mutable printing mechanism for making another impression on thesheet, feed tapes for moving a sheet through said printing means andsaid printing mechanism, and means operable with the printing means fortiming the operation of the printimg mechanism.

2. In a printing machine, means supporting a supply of sheets, printingmeans formaking impressions on said sheets, a printing mechanism formaking impressions on said sheets related to the first impressions,means for withdrawing said sheets from the supply, continuouslyoperating means for receiving sheets from said supply and for movingsaid sheets through said printing means and said printing mechanism,means for interrupting movement of said sheets with said continuouslyoperating means during the operation of said printing means and saidprinting mechanism, and means operable with the printing means fortiming the operation of the printing mechanism and the interruptingmeans.

3. In a printing machine through which sheets are passed, printing meansfor making impressions on said sheets from changeable printing devices,a mutable printing mechanism for making impressions on said. sheets,constantly operating means for moving said sheets through said printingmeans and said printing mechanism, means for interrupting movement ofsaid sheets during the impression operations of said printing meansandsaid printing mechanism, and means operable with the printing means totime the operation of the printing mechanism to thereby efiect operationof the printing mechanism in fixed timed relation with the changing ofsaid changeable printing devices.

4. In a printing machine through whichsheets are passed, printing meansfor making impressions on said sheets from changeable printing devices,a mutable printing mechanism for making impressions on said sheets,means for checking the operation of said mutable printing mechanismagainst the operation of said printing means whereby impressions aremade on said sheets by said mutable printing mechanism which are relatedto the impressions made on said sheets from the respective changeableprinting devices by said printing means, continuously operating feedtapes for moving said sheets through said printing means and saidprinting mechanism, means for interrupting movement of said sheetsduring the impression operations of said printing means and saidprinting mechanism without interrupting operation of said feed tapes,and means operable with the printing means to time the operation of thechecking and interrupting means and the printing mechanism.

5. In a printing machine, printing means for .making an impression on asheet. operating means for said printing means, a mutable print- .ingmechanism,'operating means for aid mutable printing mechanism, meansmoving the sheet through said printing means and said printingmechanism, means for positioning the sheet in the printing means, meansfor positioning the sheet in the printing mechanism, and means operatedby one of said operating means for timing the operation of the otheroperating means and the respective positioning means.

6. In a printing machine, printing means for making an impression on asheet, operating means for said printing means, a mutable printingmechanism, means for arranging said mutable printing mechanism to makean impression on the sheets related to the impression made thereon fromsaid printing means, operating means for said mutable printing mechanismand the means arranging said mutable printing mechanism,-

means for moving the sheet through said printing means and said printingmechanism, means for positioning the sheet in the printing means, meansfor positioning the sheet in the printing mechanism, and means operatedby the operating means for the printing means for timing the operationof the respective positioning means and the means operating said mutableprinting mechanism.

7. In a printing machine, means for moving a series of changeableprinting devices through a series of stages in the machine, a platen formaking impressions from said changeable printing devices on sheets movedthrough the machine, a mutable printing mechanism, means for moving aseries of control devices through a series of stages in the machinecorresponding to the first series of stages whereby there is a controldevice in each of the stages therefor corresponding to a changeableprinting device in each of the stages therefor, means controlled by saidcontrol devices for arranging said mutable printing mechanism to makeimpressions on the sheets related to the impressions made thereon fromsaid changeable printing devices, continuously operating means formoving the sheets through said printing means and said printingmechanism, and means for orienting the sheets to receive impressionssuccessively in said printing means and said printing mechanism.

8. In a. printing machine, printing means for making an impression on asheet, operating means for said printing means, a mutable printingmechanism, operating means for said mutable printing mechanism,continuously operating feed tapes for moving a sheet successivelythrough said printing means and said printing mechanism, means forinterrupting the movement of the sheet with said feed tapes to positionthe sheet in the printing means to receive an impression therein, meansfor interrupting the movement of the sheet with the feed tapes toposition the sheet in the printing mechanism to receive an impressiontherein, and means operated by the operating means for the printingmeans to successively operate the means positioning the sheet in theprinting means and the means positioning the i sheet in the printingmechanism and to time the operation of the operating means for saidmutable printing mechanism.

9. In a printing machine through which sectional sheets are passed,constantly operating means for moving the sheets through the machine,printing means for making independent impressions on each section ofsaid sheets, means for interrupting movement of the sheets tosuecessively position the sections thereof to receive impressions fromsaid printing means, a mutable printing mechanism for simultaneouslymaking impressions on the sections of each sheet, means for interruptingmovement of the sheets during the impression operation of said printingmechanism, common means for controlling the operation of saidinterrupting means, and means operable with the printing means to timethe operation of the interrupting means and the printing mechanism.

10. In a printing machine, printing means for making an impression on asectional sheet, operating means for said printing means, a mutableprinting mechanism, operating means for said mutable printing mechanism,constantly operating feed tapes for moving the sheet through saidprinting means and said printing mechanism, means for interrupting themovement of the sheet with the feed tapes to successively position thesections of the sheet in the printing means to receive an impressiontherein, means for interrupting movement of the sheet with the feedtapes to position the sheet in the mutable printing mechanism to receivean impression in the mutable printing mechanism on the sections thereofsimultaneously, and means operated by the operating means for theprinting means to time the operation of the interrupting means and themeans operating the mutable printing mechanism.

11. In a printing machine, printing means for making an impression on asheet, operating means for said printing means, a mutable printingmechanism, another mutable printing mechanism, operating means for saidmutable printing mechanisms, means moving the sheet through saidprinting means and said printing mechanisms, means for positioning thesheet in the printing means, means for positioning the sheet in thefirst mutable printing mechanism, means for positioning the sheet in theother mutable printing mechanism, and means operated by one of saidoperating means for timing the operation of the other operating meansand the respective positioning means.

12. In a printing machine, means for moving changeable printing devicesthrough a series of stages of which one is a printing position in themachine, a platen for making impressions from said printing devices ontosheets moved through the machine when said devices are moved into theprinting position, a mutable printing mechanism, control means movableinto a position whereat the control means arranges said mutable printingmechanism to make impressions on the sheets, and means for moving saidcontrol means through a series of stages corresponding in number to theseries of stages through which the changeable printing devices aremoved.

13. In a printing machine, means for moving changeable printing devicesthrough a series of stages of which one is a printing position in themachine, a platen for making impressions from said printing devices ontosheets moved through the machine when said devices are moved into theprinting position, a mutable printing mechanism, control means movableinto a position whereat the control means arranges said mutable printingmechanism to make impressions on the sheets, means for moving saidcontrol means through a series of stages corresponding in number to theseries of stages through which the changeable printing devices aremoved, and means for determining the relationship of the printingdevices and the control means moving through said stages prior to themovement of a

